3 week old overweight Cornish Rock - I believe has broken leg(s)

[Judy]

Closed for cleanup.

Reopening: Let's get back to the actual subject at hand, shall we?

 

[kuntrygirl]

Several posters on this thread, including me, have raised cornishx past the age of 12 weeks to have a normal healthy weight. In my case my hen was used for breeding. She laid 5+ eggs every week. I hatched her eggs and sold the chicks when they were 10 to 16 weeks old for roasters. After breeding her for a season I butchered her and ate her.

Sure, you have to monitor her diet pretty closely, but she was healthy and happy right up to the end of her life.

Same here

My 4 year old Cornish were VERY healthy up to their last day on this earth.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I would also encourage you to post about her progress.
Many people accidentally bring home cornish cross chickens from the feed store, thinking they are getting lovely white birds for eggs and pets.
Yes, it would have been better if they had done some research into what different chick breeds look like, and they may have avoided this mistake, but anyone that comes here or turns to anyone for help is interested in fixing their ignorance, not getting bashed for asking. What's done is done, time to move on and learn.

So, it will be wonderful to see more people with experience share their stories and methods, if there is a way to raise this breed to be healthy and happy birds for longer than the typical butchering point!
I would never encourage anyone that wants a long-lived pet chicken to get this breed on purpose, but for those that get them by accident, let this be a resource for education.

I'm looking forward to see the progress of this baby.

 

[missmissi]

Today they played inside of a metal crate for a Great Dane or St. Bernard, they are just barely big enough to not be able to squeeze between the sections. I did not put in the bottom tray the dog would usually stand or lay on. They have so much room to explore in there, it's easy to move frequently and I don't have to be out there with them the whole time, though they are within view at all times.

Our sweet Willow is awesome! Such as sweet disposition and very cuddly. This weekend my neighbor visited to see the new chicks. I let them loose in the house (vinyl flooring, old towels draped on rugs and anything necessary) while she was here, to actually see them, instead of just staring from up above for 2 minutes. The friend picked up a RIR (fitting since my friend has auburn hair The RIR is the regular companion of our jolly, Willow (it's a herb). Willow took flight to get on the sofa also, and the two birds napped in my neighbors lap for over an hour.

There is no longer a limp. The inflammation has left. Is she bigger than the others? Yes, but they are close in size. She's getting vitamin supplements and extra hydration with save a chick, she drinks ALOT from the save a chick waterer. She gets along best with the 2 RIRs, they are the most active for sure and she keeps up with them, it's important to get exercise on a flat surface to help strengthen her legs. She's now a very normal bird-girl, who had an accident recently and got hurt. She cries to get back to her peeps if I take her away, so she's happiest being with them.

 

[heartsizedfarm]

You have a crazy chicken friendly household!

 

[Vtegh]

I think my chick had a similar injury. I am a veterinarian with no poultry experience! My chick obviously had an abscess. I lanced and drained the abscess and soak in Epsom salts and bandaged with triple abx ointment daily. Also, treated with penicillin with no response so switched to baytril (not FDA approved for use in food animals). She/he responded well and was back to normal in about 5 days. This is my first experience raising chickens so I really wanted to try! P.S. There was no obvious wound or cause of the infection. Hope this helps someone else's chick.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think my chick had a similar injury. I am a veterinarian with no poultry experience! My chick obviously had an abscess. I lanced and drained the abscess and soak in Epsom salts and bandaged with triple abx ointment daily. Also, treated with penicillin with no response so switched to baytril (not FDA approved for use in food animals). She/he responded well and was back to normal in about 5 days. This is my first experience raising chickens so I really wanted to try! P.S. There was no obvious wound or cause of the infection. Hope this helps someone else's chick.

Welcome to BYC. Thanks for sharing your success story. Do you think your chick suffered a peck wound to cause the abscess? Unfortunately most of us have to get OTC medicines from our feed stores to treat our chickens. Their are some avian vets, and other vets who will see chickens, but many of us don't have one that will see chickens, even to perform a fecal for worms and coccidia, or a gram stain for clostridium perfringens. I hope you will look in on the emergency thread once in awhile, since you may be able to contribute.

 

[mithious]

X2

 

[casportpony]

I think my chick had a similar injury. I am a veterinarian with no poultry experience! My chick obviously had an abscess. I lanced and drained the abscess and soak in Epsom salts and bandaged with triple abx ointment daily. Also, treated with penicillin with no response so switched to baytril (not FDA approved for use in food animals). She/he responded well and was back to normal in about 5 days. This is my first experience raising chickens so I really wanted to try! P.S. There was no obvious wound or cause of the infection. Hope this helps someone else's chick.

Welcome to BYC!

-Kathy

 

[Vtegh]

Possible it was a peck injury. I did notice some mild aggression at the same time cause by over crowding. I had no idea they would go so quickly. The aggression resolved as soon I increased their brooder. I'll definitely be more sympathetic to people that approach me with chicken questions after having my own.